Hey all,
I'm new around here. Most people like a story, so here's mine:
A few years ago, I was at a thrift store and saw a crappy looking chip board guitar case in the corner. It looked old and a little beat up, so I popped it open. Inside was what turned out to be a 1956 Guild F20. It had pretty degraded original binding, and some chips along the back from what looks like someone setting it down (quite)roughly. The strings were as dull as any I have ever seen, but it played and seemed structurally sound. Top was intact and not cracked. Though I didn't know how old it was at the time, I could tell by the general appearance that it was 60's at least. I figured it was worth picking up for the hundred bucks they were asking. When I got to the counter to pay for it, they said that it was half off day for stuff from the section the guitar was in, so I picked it up for $50. I took it home and played it a bit, and was surprised by how good it sounded, despite the ancient strings and the somewhat rough general condition. I didn't have much money in my life, as I was a grad student, so I simply kept the guitar as it was, playing it some, but being pretty careful with it, as the condition of the instrument seemed delicate. I assured myself that when I got to a place where I could afford to, I would have the guitar properly looked after, the bindings fixed, and the chipped wood repaired. It has been a few years, but the time has come to take care of this guitar. I enjoy playing it quite a bit and I would like to be able to use it without worrying about it coming apart.
So the question is this: is there anyone that you all can recommend in central Virginia that could be trusted to make the repairs to this guitar that it needs? I have never taken any of my guitars to a professional, as I usually do whatever is needed myself, but this guitar is outside of my comfort zone. It is a great old guitar and I want to take it to someone who knows what it is and will know what to do, and what not to do to make it a solid player. I am not going to ship it anywhere, so the shop would have to be somewhere within a short drive of where I live in Charlottesville VA. Any help you all could lend would be appreciated.
MG
I'm new around here. Most people like a story, so here's mine:
A few years ago, I was at a thrift store and saw a crappy looking chip board guitar case in the corner. It looked old and a little beat up, so I popped it open. Inside was what turned out to be a 1956 Guild F20. It had pretty degraded original binding, and some chips along the back from what looks like someone setting it down (quite)roughly. The strings were as dull as any I have ever seen, but it played and seemed structurally sound. Top was intact and not cracked. Though I didn't know how old it was at the time, I could tell by the general appearance that it was 60's at least. I figured it was worth picking up for the hundred bucks they were asking. When I got to the counter to pay for it, they said that it was half off day for stuff from the section the guitar was in, so I picked it up for $50. I took it home and played it a bit, and was surprised by how good it sounded, despite the ancient strings and the somewhat rough general condition. I didn't have much money in my life, as I was a grad student, so I simply kept the guitar as it was, playing it some, but being pretty careful with it, as the condition of the instrument seemed delicate. I assured myself that when I got to a place where I could afford to, I would have the guitar properly looked after, the bindings fixed, and the chipped wood repaired. It has been a few years, but the time has come to take care of this guitar. I enjoy playing it quite a bit and I would like to be able to use it without worrying about it coming apart.
So the question is this: is there anyone that you all can recommend in central Virginia that could be trusted to make the repairs to this guitar that it needs? I have never taken any of my guitars to a professional, as I usually do whatever is needed myself, but this guitar is outside of my comfort zone. It is a great old guitar and I want to take it to someone who knows what it is and will know what to do, and what not to do to make it a solid player. I am not going to ship it anywhere, so the shop would have to be somewhere within a short drive of where I live in Charlottesville VA. Any help you all could lend would be appreciated.
MG